Kuala Lumpur

Family walking toward their hotel with the Kuala Lumpur Tower in the background.

Meanwhile, just a short walk away from the site of the previous two photos and right by a business district, lies a small but beautiful rainforest. The Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve is indeed home to the potentially nasty creatures depicted above...

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

...but it's also home to wild monkeys. On my several trips to Bukit Nanas, I only saw monkeys and other benign creatures (butterflies, lizards, etc.) and none of the animals the sign warned of. I also encountered...

The KL Tower and exhibits is at the top of the Bukit Nanas Forest Preserve, which is set on a hill. It's a bit strange and disorienting to emerge from the rainforest and encounter a crowd of tourists who have driven to the tower.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A waiter/shill has menus ready to entice someone to his restaurant. The entire block was lined with food carts and restaurants, most with outdoor seating.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A better look at the block and its offerings.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I ate one of the best meals, if not the best, I had in Malaysia (and that's saying a lot) at this cart. The porridge didn't have much aesthetic appeal as the spicy sauce was black, but it was amazingly tasty, a perfect blend of heat and flavor.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Another tempting cart.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Durian, the king of fruit!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A pre-packaged serving of durian fruit. It was my first time trying it, so I didn't think it wise to go for the whole enormous fruit, especially with the durian's deserved reputation. It's a logic and sense-defying food that manages to smell awful, but taste good (well to many people at least). The smell can be so off-putting that many fancy hotels and some public transportation conveyances ban durian from their premises. All this and a texture that is more reminiscent of a slightly congealed pudding than a fruit often lead western writers to devote paragraphs to the experience of eating one. I enjoyed it enough to order it on another occasion. As my grandmother used to say to me, "try it, you might like it."

I'm pretty sure this is kangkong, a water spinach. Excellent dish!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Fried mushrooms with dipping sauce and a small salad(?). I could have grazed on this block for hours.

This was a warm peanut soup dessert. It was absolutely incredible and it really bothers me that I haven't been able to recall the name or find a recipe for it. It was that good.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The National Mosque. This shot doesn't do justice to the amazing and symbolic design of the building.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The National Mosque.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The beautiful interior of the National Mosque.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

More of the interior of the National Mosque.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The National Mosque.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Din, the amazing docent who answered tourists' questions and then kindly sat down with me for an hour to explain and discuss the mosque and the basics of Islam.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. A beautiful airy building with a number of interesting exhibits ranging from displays of old weapons to amazing models of notable mosques from around the world. The museum is near the National Mosque as well as the surprisingly excellent Royal Malaysian Police Museum, the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park and the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park, so it's easy to spend an increasingly exhausting day wandering from one attraction to the next.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

An example of the interior of an old home (I think).

Islamic Arts Museum
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In addition to old Qur’ans, the Islamic Arts Museum featured a digital scrolling version.